Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-17

| 4 HsSIOSIG%L ShENH of LAbch
MOVEMENTS THE PROGRESS or
| HsLF 4 CENTURY.
In an admirable book from the pen of
Professor Richard T. Ely, Of Johns Hop
kin's University, entitled, The Labor
Movement in America" and which is
packed full of very interesting historical
facts. with sensible and statesmanliks sug-
| sestions. We find the statement that the
work of organizing labor for its own pro
lection and defense began with the opening
OF the pres mt century-in 1900. In 1880 the
workingmen in New York, through
their organ. Young -Imericd,r made.
twelve demands on congress. as We
/ find them reproduced in the book alluded
10, namely:
| First-The right of man to the soil. with
the motto. vote yourself farm.
. Second-Down with monopoles. espec-
tally the United States bank.
Third-Freedom of public lands.
Fourth-lIomesteads made inalienable.
Fifth-Abolition OF all laws for the col
lection Of debt.
Sixth-A general bankrupt law.
own work for his wages.
Eishth-Abolition OF Imprisonment for
debt
Ninth-Equal rights for women with
men in all respects.
Tenth-Abo!ition of chattel slavery and
of wages slavery.
Eleventh-Land limitation to one hun
dred and sixty acres: no person after the
passage of this law to become possessed Of
more than that amount of land. When a
land mol,opoIist died. his heirs were to take
each his legal number OF acres, and bs ccm-
PEELED to sell the overplus, using the pro-
ceeds as he pleased.
Twelfth-MaiIs in the United States to
run on the Sabbath.
In the light of what has since been con-
ceded by the government. these demands
are shown. in the main, TO have been just
Each citizen of the United States may have
farm free from the public domain. by &c
cupyinG the land in accordance with law.
The United States bank long ago went
glimmerinG. but there are some monopolies
remaining TO be ''downed." As we have
already stated, the public lands are free to
actual settlers. Wehave had general bank
rupt laws since these demands were made,
and should have q more effective one now.
The lahOrer now has . lien on his own
work for his wages. Imprisonment for
debt was long ago abolished. Equal rights
for women with men is still pesdins is
sue. Chattel slavery was abolished quar-
ter Of a century ago. and American wage
esrners are certainly not slaves, however
much their condition might be improved.
and United States mails now run on the
Sabbath. These demands seem to have
been prophecy. Certainly they have.been
almost literally fulfilled. -au~ra 81
There has sIsp been great change in the
attitude Of workingmen toward their en-
ployers and in their treatment by them.
Now workingman is lat least in this cityl
considered equal in privilege and social
standing to his employer. if he behaves
himself as WELLS a good and useful citi-
zen and clean man. Not unfrequently he
IS considered good deal better.
Now let us see how wOrking-people were
,Teated fifty years ago, in New England /
.Id New Jersey. We learn, rs the result ,
} Professor Ely's researches. that the |
myth of days labor varied from twelve 1
o fifteen hours day the year round. and |
n one mill in Connecticut it was fourteen
ours. At another. still, the daily grind
vaS fifteen hours and ten minutes.
At Patterson. New Jersey. at this period,
go uen and children were compelled to 60
0 work at a. m
In New England operatives were taSsd
g manufacturing companies for the sup
,rt of religion" Habitual absence from
hurch was punished by the Lowell Mass.
| ,nufacturing company with dismissal
IN employment, and in other respects the
fe of the men and women outside of the
ic.nries. as well As their lives within. were
sgulated.
Ia some cases women and children were
ecu 'i ~ "oih W uS0 vi cpWHiuc- Z
nd an instance is given of little girl. IL
ears of age, whose leg was broken with !
billet of wood A deaf and dumb boy
as mercilessly whipped by an overseer ,
,med Bryant. An EYE witness" said Z
lat when tbs boy c,me home at night. he I
y down on the bed like one without life: I
at he was nangled in shocking manner.
ON his neck to his feet. This 'sye wit +
IS" declared that the boy had received q /
lndred blows. No American employer v
rikes a workman now. nor q woman or a
RI in his employ. Such an act would n
ing patrol wagon at once and the az \
essor would be hustled off to a station d
use. Agitation and effort have certainly Il
complshed something in the last fifty c.
ars. OF late the aggressiveness and vio-
ice have not all been shown On the side !"
the employer. "
MrF g. GesSner, of the Timcs-.Stdr, Gin d
matt, says: is
The republicans do not conceal. in county W
state, what they assessed for the can